Skylight construction



I SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 192

QWWWEBHUHUMWE v E Z 36 25 3mm Patented Aug. 5, 1930 .STEPJHENE. cieunasfor-imrnenronr, CONNEGTiQfiiJ {i SKYLIGHT CONSTRUCTION Application filed February 8, 1929. Serial No. 338,489. I

struction in which the amount of copper or similar high priced metal required may be reduced over the ordinary constructions.

It is also an object of the invention ,to, provide a construction of skylight in which there is nothing to retain water to freeze and break the glass or supporting structure therefor.

Another object of'the invention is to provide a construction of this type which will so support the glass that there, is no lateral or bending strains which would be .liable to break the glass.

With the foregoing and, other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combinations and arrangments of parts as will be more fully disclosed in connection with the accompanying drawing. In this drawing,

Fig. lis a vertical section through light showing my improved construction.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale of the raised portion of the. skylight construction.

Fig. 3 is a detail section through the means for supporting the structure on the top of the curb.

10 with an upright curb 11 surrounding theskylight opening in this roof, the front wall of which is protectedby a sheet metal flashing 12 usually of copper, The improved skylight construction comprises longitudinally spaced inclined supporting beams 13 of structural members which may be either steel or other metal such, for example, as copper -or galvanized iron. That shown in Figs. '1, 4: and 6 is of inverted U 9shape' or. channel zbjar'; although it may beof anyof numerous other structural members such as iangle bars I-beams :or T-bars,v as shown at 1t,-in, Fig.

' 5.; This structural member ;or..beam 13.isv

supported at its lower end on the curb 11.

It is secured thereto by an inverted angle bar v 15 resting on the top of the curb and anchored J thereto by angle plates 16 which may have transverse rods 17 molded or build into the wall of the curbing. Tojthe front of this angle bar 15 is secured another. angle bar 18 on the upper flange 19 of whichthe beam 13 may rest the lower end of the beam abut ting against the inner wall fthe angleb'a-r 15.- The beam 13 may be secriredin :posi-.. tion by means of a channel memberdor bracket 20 riveted to the top of the beam-13, as shown at 21, and having its, lower flange 22 extending under the upper flange19, as shown in Figs l and 3. Thisconstruction securely mounts thebeam 13 on the curbing and the upper portion of the flashing 12 may be r I 1 and be supported by a longitudinally extend- Fig. 4 is a transverse section substantially ing beam 23 of a channel bai or; othersuitalso be one or more.otherbea'ms 2 1i extend-f. ing longitudinally of the skylightj intermediate the ends of the supporting beams 13. The beam 13 may be anchored to the beam, 24. by means of a flat plate 25 riveted or bolted tothe beam 13 and engaging 11nder ,the top fiange'of thebea'mZf. 1 1. I f f The supportingmeans'for the glass 26, is mounted on the, top of the supporting, structural beams 13 and extend longitudinally. thereof. Immediately to the top of the beam 13 is a sheet metal trough shaped member-27 which is ordinarily formed ofsheet copper although it may,.of course, be of'galvanize-d iron orother' suitable metal, and within this trough is mounted a U-shaped membranes of sheet metal also preferably copper and its side walls are higherv than thez sidegwalls 29..

of the trough 27 while this member of less width than the trough 27 so that the side walls 29 of the trough 27 are spaced outwardly from the side walls of the member 28. The upper edges of the side portions of the member 28 form rests on which the glass 26 is supported, and as these side walls are .higher than the side walls 29 the glass is supported above the trough 27 so that c-on-. densation on the lower or innersurface of the glass may run down into the gutter's'3 formed by the trough 27 on opposite sides of the member 28. Above the glass is a clamping member 31 ofsubstantially inverted U or V-shape with its free edges resting onthe top, surfaceof the lass.- This m'eni bernis also of sheet metal preferably copper, and all'threeof themenibers 28 and'31 are 1 secured-to thesupporting-beain 13 by means 1 of any suitable number of upright bolts 32 Inythe form shown in Fig. 4 this belt has reduced threaded ortion 33st its lower end passing through'the member l3'a'nd provided with a shoulder 34 resting against the lead 3 washer 35 on top'of the upwardly extendingbosses 36 and 37 on the members" 28 and 27 respectively. These upwardly extending bosses prevent moisture which may get into the trough of the member 28 from leaking through the openin surroundi gthebolt '32.

A nut 38 clamps the members 28 and 27 as well as'the washer 35 between the shoulder 34 and the member 13'and securely fastens the members 13,27 and 28 together. its up per end the bolt 32 passes through a suitable opening in the clamping bar 31 which is closed by a lead washer 39, and a spring 40" embraces the bolt above this washer and be tween it and the nut 31 threaded on the bolt. The member 31 is more or less resilient, and therefore, yielding and the spring 40 also yields to allow for expansion and contraction of the glass as-well asthe other elements ofth'e' construction, and therefore, prevent undue strains onthe glass which might. break it."

ber 1e bye min 4.4. threaded euro this belt.

In case the supporting beam '13'is' anI-be'a'm or T-bar, as shown in Fig. '5, the lower end of the bolt corresponding to the bolts 32 and 42 is tapped into the top of the beam,

shown at 46, Fig. 5, the thr aded portio be: ing reduced in "diameter to provide a shoul der 47 corresponding tome shoulder 44 so that the members 27 and-28 are clamped to thisbeam between this shoulder and the top wall of the beam.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that there is a sheet metal trough member 48, ordinarily made of copper, secured on the top of the curbing over. the upper part of the flashing 12. It extends downwardly on the outer surface thereof and thenupwardly to form a trough 49 from which there may be disch'arge openings 50, The upwardly and outwardly extending portion 51 is outside the end of the members 27 and 28, and

therefore, moisture from the gutters 30 goes intothetrough 49. The upper end of the wall 51 is bent laterally outwardly at 52 and then upwardly, as shownet 53, to provide a stop'wall for the lower edge of the g lass26,

and these lements, including the lei'nencsf 27, 2'8 and 31',-are all securedtoithe'anglebar 15' by a bolt 54, as shownin'Fig. 3 p I At the ridge of the skylight construction there is' provideda'she'et metal substantially double angular shaped member 55' resting-on the upper ends of the beams 13;; Thismeihb'r is usually constructed of: sheet copper and has upwardly extending side walls 56 extend ingtjo the under side of the glass and against which'the upper ends of the members 271 and 28 abut. A sheet metal ridge cover 57:, also preferably of copper', is clamped to the top" side of the glass over the member 55 by means of the bolts 58; which also serve to clamp'the member 55 to the top of the supporting beams 13. Thesprings40 areprovi'ded' on the's'e'bolts the same as the other bolt's'32,42 and 45' just described. The upright side walls 59 of the member 57 have openings corresponding in shape to the members 31 so that theu'pper ends of these members 31 pass J through these walls, as shown in Fig. '2; to prevent-entrance of moisture.

The supporting beams 13 and 14 of Figs? 4,5", -6'are' shown as of structural steel-shapes and they be of any of the special or standard shapes and, of course, maybe made ire o'f'clifl'erent' metals: 'Wh en structural steel shapes are used for thesebeam s the amount of copper required isgreat'ly reduced,'.and therefore, the cost ofthe" skylight construction i's'greatly reduced. bi'iil'drs, however, require a skylight construction of all copper. Under these [cir cumstances in order to reduce the amount of metal the supporting beam orjstructura'l member may be made of sheet metal, as'shown some architects and .v I

at 13, in Fig. 8. Thislal'sogives a'some what lighter construction. h p g It will be seen from" the above described constructions that theweight of-th'e' glass sup orted by the structural" beams ('13, 13 and 14) and that themembers 27 and seas well a adding strength tothe construction form gutters under the lass" to carry ofi moisture and support the glass" abovethe beams 13 in such a manner that strains incident to expansion and contraction do not break the glass as the members 28, 31 and 40 are yieldable. Therefore, as a large part of the weight of the structure may be carried by the steel beams 13 and their supporting beams 18, 24 and 23 it is not required to make the members 27 and 28 of suflicient size or' to break the glass or spring the metallic structure to cause leakage.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A skylight construction comprising a structural supporting member extending upwardly from the curb, a substantially U- shaped sheet metal member mounted upon and extending longitudinally of the supporting member With its longitudinal side edges forming seats for glass, an inverted trough shaped sheet metal member above the glass and resting at its lower edges on the top surface thereof, and a securing bolt'passing through the sheet metal members and secured to the supporting member.

2. A skylight construction comprising a structural member forming a supporting beam extending upwardly from the curb, a sheet metal substantially trough shaped member mounted-on the beam and extending longitudinally thereof, a substantially U- shaped sheet metal member mounted in the trough shaped member and extending longitudinally thereof, said U-shaped' member being of less width than the trough shaped member and having higher side Walls than those of the trough shaped member to form seats at their upper edges for glass and support it above the trough shaped member, an inverted substantially trough shaped sheet metal member mounted with its lower edges resting on the top surface of the glass, and a connecting bolt extending between the beam and the inverted member to clamp the members together.

3. In a skylight construction, a structural member forming a supporting bar, a sheet metal trough shaped member mounted on the bar, a glass support comprising a substantially U-shaped sheet metal member mounted in the trough shaped member, the U-shaped member being of less width than the trough shaped member to provide condensation gutters on the opposite sides thereof, the side walls of the U-shaped member being higher than those of thejtrough shaped member so that their edges provide rests for the glass above the gutters, an inverted substantially trough shaped sheet metal clamping member resting at its edges on the top side of the glass, and means for clamping the sheet metal members to the supporting bar.

L. In a skylight construction, a structural member forming a supporting bar, a substantially U-shaped sheet metal member mounted upon said bar with the top edges of its side walls forming seats for the glass, an inverted-sheet metal clamping bar resting at its free edges on the top of the glass, and

means for clamping the clamping bar to the supporting bar to secure the members together and clamp the glass between the edges of the clamping bar and the U-shaped member.

. 5. In a skylight construction, a structural member forming a supporting bar, a substan tially U-shaped sheet metal member mounted upon said bar with the top edges of its side walls forming seats for the glass, an inverted sheet metal clamping bar resting at its free edges on the top of the glass, and a clamping bolt secured to the supporting bar and including means for clamping the U- shaped member to the bar and the glass between the free edges of this member and the clamping bar.

6. In a skylight construction, a curb, one or more longitudinal supporting members mounted above the curb, structural members forming supporting bars extending upward: .4

ly from the curb, means for securing said supporting bars to the curb and the supporting members, a sheet metal trough shaped member mounted on each supporting bar and extending longitudinally thereof, a substantially U-shaped sheet metal member mounted ineach troughshapedmemberwith its upright 7 free edges extending above thesides of the trough shaped members to provide seats for glass, an inverted substantially trough shaped sheet metal clamping member above each U- shaped member arranged with its free edges resting on the top of the glass, bolts secured to the supporting bar and passing through the sheet metal members, and means on the bolt for clamping the sheet metal members in position.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature.

' STEPHEN E. CIBULAS. 

